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Allegations of Abuse
in Institutions |
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Former Salvation Army captain John
Gainsford asked a boy to pray with him and then committed an indecency, it
was alleged in the High Court in Timaru yesterday. The complainant, who cannot be
identified, said he was then sick and Gainsford was angry, saying: "Look
at the bloody mess you made." Gainsford, 69, of Auckland, has
denied 23 indecency and rape charges relating to his time as manager of the
Bramwell Booth children's home near Temuka in South Canterbury. He has pleaded guilty to four
indecency counts. The complainant said that when he
was sick on Gainsford's trousers and shoes, Gainsford became angry. When he left the room, the
complainant said he threw papers from Gainsford's desk onto the floor. When Gainsford returned "he
went ballistic and started hitting him with a cane". The complainant, one of eight to
give evidence in the trial, said he made sure he was not alone with Gainsford
again. At other times, the witness said,
Gainsford would walk into the bathroom to make sure children washed properly.
Another time, the complainant
said, he saw Gainsford with a young girl on his knee doing something
indecent. He said he spoke to a part-time
staff member about what had happened. Paul Dacre, counsel for Gainsford,
said his client would deny the incidents. The witness said: "I know
different." A female complainant, who alleges
she was raped by Gainsford, rejected suggestions that nothing untoward had
happened to her. The witness said she had been paid
$23,000 by the Salvation Army in acknowledgement of sexual abuse. She said
she did not talk about the alleged rapes earlier because she felt ashamed. The trial
is expected to last at least a fortnight. |
